BIDDEFORD – The city faces a potential lawsuit after a vote by councilors to uphold Mayor Donna Dion’s decision to censor a public access TV program she believes is defamatory.

Citing First Amendment concerns, Maine Civil Liberties Union attorney David Lourie said he was preparing to sue on behalf of Dorothy Lafortune, the producer of the Maine Forum program broadcast last July.

The City Council voted 6-3 Tuesday night to support Dion’s decision to pull the show from the rebroadcast schedule.

Footage of the show includes Councilor Philip Castora claiming city government involvement in an alleged conspiracy to take property from Lafortune’s mother, Marion. An auctioneer and bank officials also were named by Castora.

Originally, the mayor requested that the show be taped and previewed by her, Lourie said, although he said she backed down when Lafortune continued to broadcast live.

But the mayor still maintains she can pull other questionable tapes from rebroadcast, Lourie added.

The council’s decision Tuesday overturned an August vote by the Cable TV Committee that reversed the mayor’s decision to censor the tape and called her actions unauthorized.

Lafortune, through the MCLU, had filed a formal complaint with the committee.

The so-called Castora Tape raised concerns about slander, libel and invasion of privacy, the mayor said in a statement to the council Tuesday night.

Castora’s accusations against private citizens were especially troubling, she said, and it was these concerns that led her to pull the tape.

Dion said the cable access agreement gives the city the right to control use of the public access channel.